In article <940820.082713.PDT.AMCARTHU at UVVM.UVic.CA>, AMCARTHU at UVVM.UVIC.CA
(Andrew McArthur) wrote:
> Hello.
>> Does anyone know of a good computer program (IBM or Mac) for creating figures
> representing phylogenies on a geological time scale?
I am also interested in this topic, especially in regards to Bacteria
and Archea (Eubacteria and Archeabacteria). Does anyone have any
references on whether or not it is possible to assign any rule of thumb (ie
"10 million years per one percent difference in 16S rRNA sequence") to the
rate of phylogenetic change in either domain (kingdom)? I am particularly
intereseted in differences of only a few percent (less than 30 or 40
changes out of 1500 possible positions). It seems to me that in the absence
of any fossil record, and in light of the fact that there is such a rate
heterogeneity over the length of the 16S rRNA, that drawing any such
conclusions would be completely speculative... Thanks in advance.
-John